Swapnil Patel, 27, who runs the Brinsley Mini Market with his brother,told the Post: “He walked in and I told him I had seen him somewhere before. Then he said ‘You’re going to get to know me a lot more soon’.

Swapnil, took a picture with Warnock and posted it on his Facebook page. His friend Craig Smithurst – a keen Forest fan – saw it and uploaded the snap to Twitter, where it’s had 99 re-tweets.

“I didn’t expect it to go so crazy,” added Swapnil.

The newsagent, who confesses to being a Manchester United fan, says Warnock did not confirm he was the next Forest boss, but he didn’t leave much to the imagination either.

However, while Warnock was the hot favourite in the morning to take over the Forest job vacated by Davies following the 5-0 defeat at the hands of Derby, as the day wore on he dropped out of the race, and by the time the Post went to press the field was wide open.

Despite the twists and turns in the recruitment of a successor, many Forest fans were still focused on Davies’ acrimonious departure.

Blogger Rish Baruah, who is co-editor at fan site 1865.co.uk, said: “My first feeling when it was announced was relief. I never thought it was a good idea to re-appoint him in the first place.

“The team has become too predictable and Davies was in danger of dragging the club and fans down with him. The club has been described as the North Korea of the Championship.”

The outgoing boss opted to shut himself off from the media after the humbling at the iPro Stadium. Reporters were banned from speaking to the players and no statement was made.

“The media blackout alienated people,” said Rish, 35, of Beeston. “Not addressing the fans after the capitulation on Saturday was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“I think Fawaz is on a bit of a PR mission at the moment but it gives him a chance to give the club back to the fans.

“He’s shown some naivety in his first year. Hiring Billy was supposed to get him more in touch with the fans. But Billy’s decisions of late are astonishing for someone who claims to be a shrewd tactician.”

Rish hopes no rash decisions will be made on the next manager. “I just hope whoever they bring in gives us that push we need to try and get in the play-offs.”

Ashley Islip, 50, of Rise Park, has had to endure the banter from workmates in Erewash since the weekend’s result.

He said: “The result at Derby kicked Davies over the edge but you could sense in the stands that the fans wanted him out.”

Mr Islip, a season ticket holder, added: “It became more about Billy Davies than it did about Nottingham Forest.

“If I’m honest, for footballing reasons I’d have given him until the end of the season. The least he could have done was come out after Saturday’s game and apologise in person. Even Fawaz came out and apologised to the fans after the game.”

Mr Islip added: “I’m not giving up hope. If Warnock comes in, I think he can breathe some fire into Forest and give us the push we need.

“I’m not ruling out the play-offs and just imagine what reaction you’ll get from the players. Stranger things have happened than us knock Derby out of the play-offs.”

Super fan Stuart Astill, 68, of Sandiacre, went to 1,600 consecutive Forest matches. “I never wanted Billy back in the first place,” he said. “You can’t knock the run we went on at the start of this season but it’s definitely trailed off lately and you could feel it on the terraces that people wanted him out.”

He said negative tactics had upset fans and let the opposition into too many games. “I’m sorry, but losing to Barnsley and not beating Doncaster at home isn’t good enough.

“I’m no expert, but we’ve been one-up and you can see him come out of his dugout to tell them to sit back. Then we let in an equaliser and lose the points. You hear a lot of people at the ground saying the same thing.”

Michael Dugher, Labour MP for Barnsley East and Forest fan of more than 20 years said: “Every Forest fan will support the owners in whatever decision they come to because you hope they have the best interests of the club at heart. We don’t want to be adding to the on-field problems with any extra drama off the field, the club needs some stability.

What do you think about Davies’s departure and who will replace him? Tell us your views at www.nottinghampost.com.

13 comments

Maybe if Fawaz stepped back a bit and gave the new manager the chance to do his job without having to look over his shoulder all the time we might get a great manager and not just a has been or a "lets keep him till we find out if we are in the playoffs" one

I imagine they would not guarantee him the job next season even if they went up.
As with footballer though, if you pay people enough then they come and work for you.
Steve Clarke, Di Matteo, Makay there are names out there who could do a job and have something to porve whilst being able to attract players.
If Steve Clarke can bring in players like Jordan Ibe on loan why don't Forrest do this more? It would allow more flexibility than permanant transfers for FFP. As such a bigger name could get Forrest over the line if not this season then next. The clubs coming down won't be all that bar Cardiff and the league will be up for grabs.

I do wonder what the likes of Warnock, and last time Mick Mcarthy, are hearing during their negotiations that makes them pull out. There's something deep within the ethos of our club nowadays that we're not hearing. Reading between the lines, it appears to me that Warnock assumed he'd be taking charge, but then something spooked him. What?